The Good Dinner Club is just one of many clubs organized by the Clubs Council. Quarterly, committee council members go out for dinner to discuss how our many clubs are fairing, and discuss any issues or new ideas. We do council meetings a bit differently, as instead of going to a restaurant where a host has never been, we go to one of our council member's favorite restaurants. So this time around we went to Morton's in Clayton, one of Erica Freeman's favorites. It was a small group: myself, Erica Freeman, GDC Vice President, Kendra Howard, Sergeant at Arms, Ronda, Officer of Host Affairs, Jackie Olinger, Member at Large, and GDC President Shelby Watson.
Morton's has a warm, upscale atmosphere - and it doesn't just feel upscale - it is upscale. It is probably one of the priciest restaurants in St. Louis. There are Morton's restaurants all over the U.S., and they are known for having high-quality steak and seafood, which is one reason for the high prices. For this reason, I, a notorious penny pincher, unfortunately can't tell you from personal experience how great the surf and turf is, because I ordered a salad. BUT - the salad was fabulous, and it wasn't your average salad. It consisted of huge beefsteak tomato slices drenched with blue cheese dressing & blue cheese crumbles - yum. And it was so filling I honestly couldn't even eat it all - but that might also have to do with the delicious warm bread we were provided upon being seated. I also split an order of hashbrown potatoes, which were ok, but I didn't think they were any more special than the hashbrowns I might get at a 24-hr diner. Others at the table did order more liberally and I can say that everyone was very pleased with their selections. And as far as drinks go, they have a great wine list, however, this is another restaurant with only bottled beer - no draft - is this a new trend? Given the caliber of the restaurant, this surprised me. And let me just say - my two bottles of Bluemoon were $7 each - I find that outrageous for beer. I understand the food being a higher quality and therefore demanding a higher price, but this same beer can be enjoyed for $4 at the restaurant down the street. Ok, moving on.
Morton's is also known for having great customer service. As their website itself boasts "each guest is treated like a VIP," I can attest that this is true. Jake was our server and was very nice and patient with our group, which can sometimes be high-maintenance. I especially appreciated that I was still treated in VIP-fashion even though my meager dinner order was more like that of a pauper. If Jake was disappointed that our bill, and consequently his tip, wouldn't be what he had hoped for, he didn't show it. Other restaurant staff came by our table as well and were warm and welcoming. Even the lobster, that we fondly named Larry, was gracious enough to not jump off Jake's display cart and make a run for the door to save his own claws, therefore sparing some of the ladies at my table a heart-attack.
In conclusion, I give this restaurant a 4.5 out of 5 spoons, as really my only "complaint" would be the high price, but just because the menu isn't in my preferred price-range, doesn't make it a bad restaurant. And at least with that price comes the quality of food and superior customer service you should expect, which I can't say for some other local restaurants. What do you think of Morton's? Please rate and comment below!
